President Rodrigo Duterte has approved the recommendation to promote Southern Police District director Senior Supt. Eliseo Cruz to the next police rank of chief superintendent.
Metro Manila police chief Guillermo Eleazar said Department of the Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año received the signed document from Malacañang promoting Cruz to a one-star general rank last Monday.
Last September, then SPD district director Chief Supt. Tomas Apolinario Jr. turned over to Cruz the SPD leadership.
Apolinario’s transfer to Southern Tagalog Region 4-B came after Philippine National Police chief Director General Oscar Albayalde approved the recommendations of the PNP Senior Officers Placement and Promotion Board to give new assignments to some key officers.
The movement, according to the PNP, was part of its “continuing commitment to ensure that we put the right people on the right job.”
Cruz also served as commander of the Cabanatuan City police force before he was assigned to the Northern Police District as deputy district director for administration.
Under his watch, the Cabanatuan Police station received the following awards: Best City Police Station in Police Community Relations in Region 3 for the years 2006, 2007 and 2008; Most Citizen-Friendly Police Station for year 2008; Country’s Outstanding Policeman in-Service (COPS) in 2009, with the award presented by then President and now House Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.
The city’s police station also received the awards for Best City Police Station in Central Luzon Region in 2008 and 2011.